Early Fattening and Breeding. 139 



quality become more prominent and important from day 

 to day, and amongst others, the problem of early maturity 

 or producing mature size at an immature age, or in half 

 the time, arises. We say at an immature age, because this 

 prematurity takes place without any change of climate, a 

 warmer climate naturally leading to earlier maturity, as 

 well as to earlier decay, in vegetation or in animals. 



It is stated that an improved system of feeding* has 

 produced a full mouth, in some cattle, at two years of age ; 

 why not, therefore, fit the heifers for maturity at that age ? 

 etc. When young cattle are so fed as to increase their 

 growth very rapidly, the bones and muscle are usually 

 more soft, and spongy in texture, and quality ; as is the 

 case with rapidly grown wood, which is only loosely co- 

 herent in its fibre, and decays rapidly; and the structure 

 of flesh that is very rapidly formed in cattle, doubtless de- 

 cays early and rapidly, according to the rule, "early ripe, 

 early rotten. ' ' Muscle that is rapidly formed is usually 

 loose in texture, and weak in contractile power. Hence 

 the muscles concerned in the series of digestive processes 

 are weaker, and the secreting organs, also ; thus weaken- 

 ing digestive power in its foundations, by reducing the 

 healthy proportion of muscle. 



Some years ago, four or five mowings of grass were cut 

 on land that was irrigated with the city sewage, at Edin- 

 burgh, Scotland ; milk cows were fed with that rank, rapid- 

 ly-grown grass, but the milk was so badly flavored and in- 

 ferior, that the extent of mowing and the rapidity of 

 growth in the grass were reduced, to improve the quality 

 of the grass. The over-supply of sap to the cells was so 

 great in the grass, that assimilation was too rapid to ad- 

 mit of the full extent of cell action that is required to form 

 a sound quality of grass growth. In that cool climate 

 natural growth is slow. Forcing grass to grow at more 



* In Country Gentleman, February 5, 1880, p. 90, 



